Convertible ladder



Feb. 5, 1952 GARNER 2,584,197

CONVERTIBLE LADDER Filed NOV. 8, 1949 INVENTOR HERBERT L. GARNER 77ZQ7/m/5mmz Emu/w ATTORNEY-5 Patented Feb. 5, 1 952 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVERTIBLE LADDER Herbert L. Garner, Sheridan, Ark.

Application November 8, 1949, Serial No. 126,158

invention relates to ladders, and more particularly to a ladder which can be arranged as a stepladder in either an open or a folded condi-i,

tion and converted into a straight ladder materially longerthan the stepladder, when desired.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved ladder of highly simplified'construction which can be used as a stepladder, can

be extended ,from such stepladder arrangement the purposes of two different types of ladders when used in such operations as house painting and cleaning.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claim in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a convertible ladder illustrative of the invention showing the ladder in full lines as a stepladder in open condition, and in, brokenlines as a straight ladder, in extended condition;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, medial cross-section of the, ladder in folded condition; and

Figure-3 is a rear elevation of a fragmentary upper portion of the ladder in folded condition, as illustrated in Figure 2, with portions broken away and shown in cross-section to better illustrate the constructionthereof.

With continued reference to the drawing, the ladder comprises, in general, two sections l and II with the section I I pivotally connected at one end to the section In at a location spaced from one'end of the latter section, a platform l2 pivotally connected to one section at a location spaced from the pivotal connection between the two sections and engageable with the othersection to hold the two sections in the relative position illustrated in full lines in'Figure 1 in which they diverge from their pivotal connection and constitute a stepladder in open condition, and means I3 carried by the section II] and engageable with the section II to releasably secure the section I I in longitudinal alignment with the section ID, as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 1, to constitute a straight ladder longer than the stepladder shown in full lines. 1 V. The ladder section I0 comprises two elongated, flat rails I 4 and I5, each havin substantially parallel longitudinal edges and both being se-'- 2 cured together in spaced-apart, substantially'pap allel relationship by the laddersteps.

v The bottom ends of the two sections I0 and II are inclined, as indicated at I6 and I l in Figures 1 and 2, at an angle complementary to the angle between the two sections when held in the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 1 by the platform I2, so that when the ladder is supported in upright position as an open stepladder, the bottom ends of the rails of the two sections will engage a horizontal surface substantially throughout the width of such bottom ends of the rails.

The lower steps, as indicated at I8, I 9, 20, 2|

and 22, of the section It), extend inwardlyv from the outer longitudinal edges of the rails l4 and I5 and are set at an angle to the outer longitudinal edges of the rails substantially the same as the angle between such outer longitudinal edges and the bottom ends of these rails, so that these lower steps will be substantially horizontal both longitudinally and transversely when the ladder is in the condition and position illustrated in full lines in Figure 1.

The upper rungs of the section I0, as indicated at 23 and 24, are secured at their respectively-oppositely ends to the rails l4 and I5 on the outer longitudinal edges of these rails, and have their faces substantially parallel to the outer longitudinal edges of the rails. Bolts 25 and 26 extend through the respectively-opposite ends of the top step or rung 24 and through the rails I4 and I5, respectively, at the upper ends of these rails to firmly secure the top rung 24 to the rails and at the same time, reinforce the rails against splitting or cracking when subjected to load with the ladder in extended or straight condition.

The ladder section II comprises two flat rails 21 and 28 having substantially parallel longitudinal edges and a width substantially equalto the width of the rails I 4 and I5 of the section III. These rails 21 and 28 of the section II are secured together in spaced-apart, substantially parallel relationship by a plurality of uniformly spaced-apart steps or rungs, as indicated from 29 to 33, secured at their respectively-opposite ends to the rails 21 and 28 on the longitudinal edges of the rails 21 and 28 opposite the edges of the rails I4 and I5 to which the rungs 23 and 24 are secured, when the section II overlaps the section III in the'folded condition of the ladder, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The platform I2, for holding the two ladder sections in operative position to constitute a stepladder, comprises twospaced-apart, substantially parallel battens 34 and 35, with the batten 34 pivotally connected at one end to the side rail 2! of the ladder section I I, and the batten 35 pivotally connected at one end to the side rail 28 of the ladder section I l at locations spaced substantially the same distance from the upper ends of the rails 21 and 28, and a plurality of strips 36 secured at their respectively-opposite ends to the battens 34 and 35 at the upper edges of these battens and extending substantially at right angles to the to the batten and from one end thereof to the other. Adjacent its free end, each batten is provided with a suitable formation, illustrated as two downwardly-extending pins 31 spaced apart to receive the top horizontal step 22 of the ladder section Ii) therebetween, so that, when the ladder is in the position illustrated in full lines in Figure l for use as a stepladder, these pins may engage the top horizontal step '22 of the section I9 and securely hold the sections H) and at the'proper angle relative to each other for use as a stepladd'er.

Each of the rails 2i and 23 of the ladder section l I is provided, near its end pivotally connected to the corresponding rails of the section It, with a transversely-elongated slot, as indicated at 33 and 39 in Figures 1 and 2, and the side rails i4 and I5 of the section are provided at locations spaced from their upper ends with apertures registrable respectively with the slots 38 and 39. Bolts 40 and 41 extend through the apertures in the side rails i l and 15, respectively, and through the slots in the side rails 21 and 23, respectively, to pivotally connect the ladder section II at its upper end to the ladder section It! near the upper end of the latter.

It will be noted that the slots 38 and 39 provide a construction wherein the bolts 40 and E! are substantially at the mid-width location of the ladder rails 2'5 and 28 when the ladder is in operative condition either as a stepladder or a straight ladder, as illustrated in full and broken lines in Figure 1, but are located adjacent the inner longitudinal edges of these side rails when the ladder is in folded condition, as illustrated in Figure 2, so that the side rails of the ladder section II can contact the inner or rearward edges of the steps or rungs Hi to 22 inclusive, of the section 0 with the rails of the section II overlapping and substantially parallel to the rails of the section in to thereby reduce the ladder to its most compact form for transportation and storage.

In order to convert the ladder from either its completely folded or partly folded condition to its straight condition, the section H is pivoted about the bolts 40 and 4| until the edges of its rails 2! and 28, to which the rungs 29 to 33 inclusive, are attached, contact the under or rearward side of the top rung 24'of the section II], whereupon the section II will extend outwardly from the section Iii substantially in longitudinal alignment therewith, as illustrated in broken lines in Figure l. The means 3 for releasably securing the ladder sections in this relative position comprises two buttons pivotally secured respectively to the side rails l4 and of the section [0 adjacent the top rung 24, but at the opposite edges of the side rails from this rung. The

ladder thus has two operative positions, in one of which it constitutes a stepladder, and in the other of which it constitutes a straight ladder, and has in addition, a compact folded condition in which it-occupies a minimum amount of space and is easy to carry or'store.

It will be noted that the side rails 14 and I5 of the section H] are spaced apart sufflciently to receive the section H therebetween.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claimfrather than. bythe foregoing description, and all'changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim is.

therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What isiclaimed is:

A convertible ladder comprising a first section including a pair of spaced apart and substantially parallel side rails, steps disposed between said side rails at equally spaced intervals along the latter and secured at their respectively opposite ends to the side rails, said steps being substantially parallel to each other. and extending transversely of said side rails from corresponding edges thereof a distance intermediate the width of the side rails, and at least one ladder rung extending between said side rails near one end of said first section and disposed on the edges of said side rails from which said steps extend, a second section receivable between the siderails of said first section and including a pair of substantially parallel side rails and ladder rungs extending between the last mentioned side rails at substantially equalintervals therealong and disposed on corresponding edges thereof, means pivotally connecting said second section at one end thereof to said first section near said one end of the latter, said second sec tion having three operative positions relative to said first section in one of which the secondsection is received between the side rails of the first sectionwith theedges of the side rails of the second section remote from the associated rungs bearing against the edges of the steps disposed intermediate the width of the first section side rails, in the second of which both of. said sections diverge from said pivotal connection with the rungs of said second section at the side of the latter remotefrom said first section, and in the third of which said second section extends outwardly from said one end of said first section with the rung carrying edges of the side rails of said second section in substantial alignment with thefirst section side rail edges from which said steps extend, the rung carrying edges of the second section side rails bearing against the ladder rung of said first section, said pivotal connection including a lost motion arrangement to permit movement'of .said second section relative to said first section between said first and third positions, and a platform pivotally connected atone end to one of said sections adjacent said pivotal connection and engageable atits other end with the other. of said sections to releasably secure said sections in said second position. 7

r HERBERT L.,GARNER,.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

